Our family was celebrating my parents' 50th wedding anniversary, and they wanted to see this show based on recommendations. In full disclosure, my parents (70 years old) absolutely LOVED this show, and knowing that made me happy that we went. However, for my wife and I (in our 40's) it just missed the mark on a number of fronts. These guys absolutely have vocal talent. They just need to stick to those talents. The choreography (when attempted) is painfully bad. I'm a bad dancer. I know this, and thus I don't dance in front of people. These brothers should do the same. Stick to what they do well, which is VOCALS.
Although it's a "2 hour show", about 25% of this was an intermission that was preceded by a hard-sell hawking of their merchandise. This was probably the most off-putting aspect of the show, and it really cheapened the entire experience dramatically. You see, when we entered the theater, knowing NOTHING about the group, there is the assumption that they're credible professionals. The ticket prices and generally positive reviews would also support this. But when a group member takes 5 minutes or so to go through the laundry list of items for sale (and prices), it just screams, "Please buy our stuff... we need the money!" I've never been to a concert (ever) where the band tries to hawk their merch. We all know the merchandise stand is there. We're all adults. We'll buy your stuff if we're impressed enough to do so. Just tell us you're take a short break. That's reasonable. Those who want to buy your stuff WILL find it.
Taking time to call out the names of support staff (lighting, sound, etc.) also felt very amateur. I THINK the intention was to show that it's a small, tight-knit group, but again, I've never been to a professional show where support staff needs mentioning. The tickets to the show are not cheap, and I expect professionalism throughout... it's assumed that there are competent folks running other aspects of the show behind the scenes.
Name-dropping also doesn't add to the appeal of the show. I don't need to see your picture from 20 years ago when you hung out with Carl Weathers. It's cool that they had this experience, but once again, it feels amateur. Like a middle-aged guy who still shows photos of when he got to sing on stage with Styxx in the 1980's.
Again, there's vocal talent here. But if you go, just be ready for that talent to be packaged in more of a talent show production than a credible stage show presentation.
Response from Host
Jun 2019
Hello Jason,
While we're happy to hear our vocal talents impressed, we're truly sad to know your entire experience with us missed the mark for you. We are grateful each day to live in a town that not only values family so highly but also takes the time to appreciate the many people who work behind the scenes to ensure Branson's shows and attractions continue to impress. You're right, most professional shows don't take the time to recognize the devoted employees not on stage; we are so blessed, that in Branson, thanking these individuals is a celebrated part of shows. We understand that not everyone in the audience enjoys these few minutes of our show, and we're sorry it was not to your liking. Our twenty-minute intermission is the time we use to prepare for the second half of our show. We value your feedback and will be taking it into careful consideration. As you mentioned, we do take a few minutes at the beginning of our intermission to highlight some of our merchandise. While this is a common practice in Branson and other entertainment destinations, we're carefully reviewing your insights. We hope the rest of your time in Branson is top-notch; it is a truly remarkable town.